The pope’s 5 most popular tweets

The Vatican will delete Pope Benedict’s short-lived Twitter account when he retires.

When the pope retires, his Twitter account will be smashed along with his papal ring, Vatican Radio announced Friday. His account, @Pontifex, garnered nearly 1.6 million followers since he sent his first tweet in December. Until 1842, the papal ring was used to seal official documents — and destroyed in the presence of senior Vatican officials to prevent it from being used to seal forged ones. The Twitter account is being deleted for similar reasons, in light of the recent account-hacking incidents. Before @pontifex is deleted, we revisit some of Pope Benedict’s most retweeted missives. — By Quentin Fottrell

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Sent: Dec. 12, 2012

Perhaps it’s not surprising that the pope’s first tweet was his most retweeted – given the novelty of the pontiff speaking in 140-characters. Of course, the pope doesn’t do his own tweeting, says David Gibson, a writer for the Religion News Service in New York. “He’s really not sitting on the sofa in the Apostolic Palace on his iPad, cruising social media,” he says. His Twitter feed is more a public relations device and a way of being seen to be listening to the church’s 1 billion members. Official encyclicals and statements are still delivered through more old-fashioned channels. For context, note that President Obama’s “four more years” post following the 2012 election received 800,000 retweets — the most of all time.

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Sent: Dec. 12, 2012

While the pope’s entry into Twitter was perhaps unexpected, it gave him the potential to reach millions of younger followers around the globe. But it was also a bold move for the Vatican and for the 85-year-old pope, particularly as not all followers are fans, and many responses are extremely critical of the Roman Catholic Church, says New York-based career strategist Judith Gerberg. The lesson? “Don’t use social media if you are not prepared for the wide range of potential followers, some of whom may not revere you,” she says.

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Sent: Jan. 1, 2013

Even the most straightforward and well-meaning tweets have elicited some humorous replies. Like this one from David Donohoe ‏@dvddnh: “How do I get your lord to stop watching over me? Is it in my privacy settings?” Of course, the pope didn’t respond. It’s a wise move to remain above the fray with a dignified silence, as even the most off-the-cuff and bland comment could have huge ramifications, says Gibson, the religious affairs writer. “For Benedict, or any pope, to get into a Twitter spat would be a bit much,” he says.

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Sent: Dec. 12, 2012

The tweets themselves were probably carefully orchestrated so they would not go viral for all the wrong reasons, says John Bonini, content marketing manager of Impact Branding & Design. Is all publicity good publicity? “In the case of most public figures, no,” he says. “They have everything to lose, and very little to gain.” The Catholic Church would prefer not to be represented by a former pope, even one tweeting pleasantries and blessings, he says. “That,” Bonini says, “would be a PR nightmare.”

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Sent: Feb. 10, 2013

While the pope’s account will be officially dead after he retires, Gibson says it’s possible that it may be re-established under his successor. That, he says, is probably why the account was named @pontifex rather than something like @BenedictusXVI. Whether or not it’s revived under a new pope, the tens of thousands of responses to the pope’s tweets will live on — and all 36 tweets will also enjoy a digital afterlife as all public tweets are enshrined in an archive by the Library of Congress.

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Sent: Feb. 10, 2013

While the pope’s account will be officially dead after he retires, Gibson says it’s possible that it may be re-established under his successor. That, he says, is probably why the account was named @pontifex rather than something like @BenedictusXVI. Whether or not it’s revived under a new pope, the tens of thousands of responses to the pope’s tweets will live on — and all 36 tweets will also enjoy a digital afterlife as all public tweets are enshrined in an archive by the Library of Congress.

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